APPLETON - The debate over chickens in Appleton wasn't cooped-up for long.

Less than four years after a similar proposal failed, an alderman has hatched a new plan to allow urban chicken raising in the city. The proposal by Alderman Vered Meltzer would allow residents in single-family or two-family homes to raise up to four hens. No roosters would be allowed. Residents would be subject to an inspection from the health department, and a neighborhood notification would be required.

"There's really a huge demand for keeping chickens in Appleton," Meltzer told city officials at a Board of Health meeting earlier this month. "I really feel chickens are growing as part of an urban presence and part of a healthy lifestyle that people long for."

Shannon Kenevan, an Appleton resident who's advocated for chickens in the past, said he hopes Appleton joins Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay and Neenah in allowing chicken-raising.

"Most of the folks interested are really responsible, intelligent people who want to teach their children about healthy food, where our food comes from and have a pet with additional perks that typical pets don't have," Kenevan said.

Kenevan started the group "City Peeps" with his daughter, Emmalea, a student at Valley New School to promote urban chicken-raising. They first started advocating for an ordinance change in 2012.

With new aldermen in office, Emmalea, now 14, is hoping for a different outcome.

"Personally, it's like why not?" she said. "We have dogs, we have other animals that (residents) can have, there's no real reason that chickens aren't allowed."

Researchers with the Centers for Disease Control have attributed the interest in urban chicken-raising to a desire for local and organic food production, environmental concerns and learning experiences for children.

But in the Fox Cities, chickens are few and far between.

Appleton considered a chicken-raising ordinance in 2012, but it failed after a five-month debate. The policy proposed four years ago is the same as the plan Meltzer proposed this time around.

Neenah allows hens, but no roosters, in city limits. Menasha and Kaukauna prohibit chickens from being in the city because they're considered farm animals.

Madison first implemented a policy allowing chickens in 2004. Milwaukee also approved its chicken-raising policy in 2011, which only allows up to four hens and no roosters.

Kurt Eggebrecht, the city's public health officer, said his department will provide recommendations to the Common Council regarding Meltzer's proposal if there is interest in pursuing it.

Much of the research prepared by Eggebrecht's department and other city departments during the 2012 debate will be presented again this fall.

"Truly our goal is to anticipate situations and minimize those, and be prepared for that," Eggebrecht told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.

Those situations include salmonella outbreaks, safe and clean coops, other animals preying on chickens, the impact on neighbors and their pets and ensuring chickens are kept outdoors.

"I think we can learn from other communities and then educate the public — and then (Common) Council can make its decision," he said.

The Centers for Disease Control released a study this month that showed urban chicken-raising has led to an increase in salmonella poisoning across the country. The majority of the cases in the study were from "high-risk practices" like kissing the birds or keeping them indoors instead of outside, the report stated.

"Most contact occurred at the patients’ home, and high-risk behaviors included keeping poultry inside the house and having close contact, such as holding, snuggling, or kissing poultry," scientists reported. "These findings highlight the need for additional consumer education, especially on the risk for illness in children, the necessity for keeping live poultry outside of the home, and the recommendation to wash hands after coming in contact with live poultry."

The study also indicated that the number of salmonella outbreaks might be higher than the report states — by as much as 29 unreported cases for every reported case — because not every case is reported to public health officials.

Ron Kean, a poultry specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension, said salmonella is a legitimate concern, but one that can be mitigated easily with "common-sense" practices.

Kean said people on both sides of the chicken-raising issue tend to have inaccurate information about the true impact of chickens.

Some people who are against urban chicken-raising are concerned about waste and its disposal, Kean said, but he noted that four chickens would produce much less waste than a typical dog. Conversely, those who support it often hype the health benefits from the eggs, he said.

Kean said neighbors of people who raise chickens would probably not see any difference, except a bit of noise from clucking. But that level of noise wouldn't likely be higher than a neighbor with a dog that barks occasionally, he said.

"A hen would cackle sometimes after she lays her eggs," Kean said. "So for about 20 seconds, you might have some outburst but otherwise it's pretty minimal."

Kenevan, the Appleton resident in favor of chickens, also said the health risks can be easily avoided with proper care.

People need to wash their hands after handling chickens, not have them indoors and keep any tools or boots used with chickens outdoors, he said.

The city should adopt an ordinance on chicken-raising that focuses on best practices and on preventing people from getting sick, Kenevan said.